FLIP-FLOPS FOR FLORIDA

EVEN IF Jerimy Finch holds with the Hoosiers, BCS champion Florida looks to be the leading beneficiary of the trend toward switching commitments in 2007. Its recruiting class, rated No. 1 by Rivals.com headed into Signing Day, already includes three top prospects who bolted to the Gators: Quarterback John Brantley (Trinity Catholic, Ocala, Fla.) switched from Texas; defensive end Justin Trattou (Don Bosco Prep, Ramsey, N.J.) forsook Notre Dame; and offensive lineman James Wilson (Nease, Ponte Vedra, Fla.) reneged on his pledge to USC.

The case of Wilson (left), a 6'5", 305-pound guard, shows how futile it can be to rush a high school athlete into signing. Says his Nease coach, Craig Howard, "He decided he wanted to play again with Tim Tebow [Florida's freshman QB, also from Nease]. He went to the U.S. Army All-American game and met guys going to the schools he was still looking at. And, of course, Florida won the national title. That always helps."